It is a really slick useful application for UK train travellers. You can check train times as well as buy train tickets but it goes so much further in making a very smooth and visually appealing interface to interact with. Over checking the browser version, this is leaps and bounds in speed and usability since it’s mobile (thumb input) focused and also uses very little data (no constantly clicking a new page).

We’ve got a video demo below as well as screenshots and more details about this great app!)

To start off you can make a new journey or click on previously searched journeys. The latter is very useful as so many times I’m checking the same route and find it annoying that I have to type in the journey details again and again. Here it’s all saved (including outbound dates and times).

Entering new details is very easy.

When you search for a station you can scroll down the list names, or with the finger friendly scroll bar. Most likely though you’ll enter in with the new portrait QWERTY keyboard. Very useful again is that the app remembers previously entered stations and these appear at the top so you don’t have to keep entering that station name.

The entire app also works in landscape and as such you do get a landscape QWERTY too.

You can change your journey options by sliding the icons for Journey type, class, age and rail card available.Now click Set Dates. By default it’ll choose today’s date but clicking on “Today” brings up the calendar for future outbound journeys.

When entering time you can slide the switch to “Depart After” a certain time or to “Arrive by” a certain time. A numeric keypad appears when you type the time in. If you know the return date, click this and you can enter the return dates and times. Otherwise, you can leave it blank.

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Click “Get Prices”. Here you’ll get possible ticket options of either the standard Return or cheaper combination tickets. On this particular journey, two singles would save you £1.75 but on others this number can be much more. In the video you’ll note a £10 difference.

Clicking on either ticket gives you a journey list showing departure and arrival times. Some routes have a number next to them which indicates how many changes you’ll have to make on the route.

You’ll also note that when scrolling over each journey you’ll get prices listed below of which you can slide across to see what you’d like to pay.

Clicking on a particular journey gives you more info about these changes – which stations that is at and of course general journey details including the train service (e.g. Arriva/Virgin etc) and journey duration. The journey list is blurred in the background.

If you’re happy with a particular route, select it. You can view the trains on which your ticket will be valid on or proceed directly to purchase. The former is useful as sometimes you’ll be given tickets which you are only allowed to travel at certain times on. e.g. off peak.

When proceeding to purchase you’ll be shown a review of your journey details, prices as well as info on whether your ticket can be a mobile one or whether you have to pick it up at the station.

You can pay by Direct Debit or Credit Card. You’re told you only have to enter the details once and later enter the security number when you use it again at another time. I don’t know how this works for this app as I have not used the buy option yet. I’m assuming your card will appear in payment options.

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Hey, thanks for reading my post. My name is Jay and I'm a medical student at the University of Manchester. When I can, I blog here at mynokiablog.com and tweet now and again @jaymontano. We also have a twitter and facebook accounts @mynokiablog and Facebook.com/mynokiablog.
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